201st mentor Kuwaiti border patrol

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson | First Lt. Justin McIntire, assigned to 201st Field Artillery, speaks with the Navy doctor and Kuwaiti sergeant major during a joint training exercise on 22 April at the Khabari Crossing, Kuwait. The Kuwaiti soldiers demonstrated how to evacuate a casualty via rotary wing.  

KHABARI CROSSING, KUWAIT

04.22.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Debra Richardson 

201st Field Artillery

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - With more than 20 officers and senior enlisted soldiers observing, four Kuwaiti police officers dropped to one knee, crouching low beside the litter. As a helicopter approached, the policemen lowered their heads as small rocks and sand pelted them, causing a near blackout until the helicopter settled on the improvised helo pad. With a compelling sense of urgency, they made their way to the chopper and loaded the litter.

As the safety buckles were fastened, the pilot called an end to the simulation, and the observing crowd clapped in approval.

The medical evacuation exercise was conducted as part of a capstone event designed to demonstrate the success of a recent two-week Joint Security Force Exercises between the Kuwait Ministry of Interior’s border police and the security forces of the 1/201st Field Artillery Battalion, West Virginia Army National Guard, stationed at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

“This was a joint decision between Kuwait and U.S. forces to increase security operations to prepare for the upcoming troop withdraw from Iraq,” said 1st Lt. Justin R. McIntire of Charleston, W. Va. “Both sides want to ensure that security operations can still be conducted and to ensure this border crossing can remain operational after U.S. forces withdraw.”

The training covered a range of soldier tasks including basic weapons handling, the use of escalation of force, and vehicle searches. For eight hours each day, American and Kuwaiti officers worked side-by-side, each learning from the other.

“They were very professional and eager to both learn and share the different ways to conduct security operations,” McIntire said. “Some of the senior police officers shared stories about some of the different situations they had encountered over the years while assigned to the Kuwait-Iraq border.”

The Khabari Al-Awazem international border crossing, or Khabari Crossing, is known as the gateway to Iraq and though small, it plays a very influential role in stopping weapons and drug trafficking. Of important significance to the U.S. military is the safe passage of the sustainment convoys entering and leaving through the gateway.

“We will continue to work with the Kuwaiti border police on a daily basis at the Khabari Crossing to help with any questions or concerns that arise,” McIntire said. “We will encourage the unit that replaces us to work cooperatively with them and incorporate them in their daily tasks as we have done. I hope this will be a lasting relationship.”

Several West Virginia soldiers from C Company and two from B Company participated in the training including McIntire, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bennett of Alderson, Cpl. Bradley Owens of Morgantown, Spc. Michael Wiley of Union, Spc. Craig Brown of Hinton, Spc. Jonathan Mersing of Grafton, Spc. Zachary Mills of Forest Hill, and Spc. Michael Neff of Sistersville. Spc. Steven Brady of Bowie, Md., was also part of the training.

• Date Taken: 04.22.2011
• Date Posted: 05.05.2011 03:42
• Story ID: 69861
• Location: KHABARI CROSSING, KW